MOTH SAILING – Marking another world’s first for the premier dinghy development class, the Moths take to the stage  of  Lake  Garda  in  a  “Mothapalooza”  competition  for  artistic  style  and  personality. Coinciding with the 2012 Zhik Nautica Moth Worlds, from August 19 to 26, this competition is all about designing your craft to be a creation that is unique and spectacular to watch. There is a “palooza” of Moths ready to compete on the foreshores of Campione del Garda, ready to launch and be judged in a bid to win the 5,000 Euro first prize.

“Zhik is proud to sponsor this competition, the first of its kind anywhere in the world”, said Brian Conolly, founder and managing director.  “I believe this will begin a new trend in sailing, and hope the idea will catch on across many classes over time. We certainly plan to build on its success here, and make it an important element to the Moth Worlds regatta every year.”

At every sailing regatta there are a fleet of sails, and this is an opportunity to express art across a mobile, floating canvas. This Mothapalooza™ event is aimed at demonstrating to the world that this floating canvas can be a worthy spectacle in itself. While we can celebrate wind, water, waves,  lifestyle  and  sportsmanship,  we  can  also  add  cultural  diversity,  personality  and uniqueness to the mix. Something more for the observer of the sport, that will also help lift the profile of sailing in general.

There are some fantastic entries in this first year of the event.  Look out for the Alien, Zebra, Dragon or Flying Hellfish themed vessels, to name a few. The Moth sailors are once again proving their innovative skills, applying their artistic creativity to the odd profile and sail of a Moth sailboat, winged and foiled, and then making that consistent with the sailors own attire. This is definitely a challenge, particularly while also remaining competitive in the race.

Three judges will score each boat in four categories – Sail, Hull/Foils, Self and Overall Integrity – and  these  will  be  added  together  to  declare  the  winner.  Competition  is  intense,  with  a substantial winning cash prize, and significant gear prizes from Zhik’s complete dinghy range.

You can follow all the news on Mothapalooza™ from Lake Garda on the official website at www.mothapalooza.com, and Facebook page at www.facebook.com/mothapalooza , or follow it in combination with the Zhik Nautica Moth Worlds at www.mothworlds.org, and Facebook page at www.facebook.com/mothworlds.

HOTLINK- KA Sails Australian Moth National Titles 2012 – Mornington presented the fleet with varied and challenging conditions for the fourth day of the regatta. Race seven started in light winds, although the fleet was still sailing on the foils up the first windward leg. The wind shifts up the first leg were enormous and the fleet was completely mixed with some of the top sailors well down in the fleet, and some of the sailors used to taking up places towards the back end were doing well to hang in with the leaders. Conditions ranged between 5 – 10 knots form the southwest.

Rob Gough came through with the win, with Andrew Mcdougall and James Owen-Smith taking second and third. In between races the fleet was battered by a rain squall and race eight started in 15-18 knots form the South-west. Again conditions were shifty and at times the breeze dropped to almost zero knots. MORE STORY